Weekend Box Office : 'Shorty' Stands Tall in Ticket Sales

MGM owns October. Last October, the scrappy studio had a hit with "Stargate," which went on to make $73 million. This year, it's "Get Shorty," which grossed $12.7 million its opening weekend. MGM marketing chief Gerry Rich and distribution chief Larry Gleason credit the star power of John Travolta as well as counter-programming for the movie's success, saying audiences were waiting for a comedy like "Get Shorty" after a string of dark dramas such as "Seven," "Assassins" and "Jade."